Group plans recall effort to remove two judges

Sam Skolnik

Saturday, July 29, 2006 | 7:56 a.m.

The head of a local judicial watchdog group, saying that two District Court judges do not have the "legal competence or judicial demeanor" to remain in their posts, will start a recall-petition drive against them.

Juli Star-Alexander said she will file notices Monday with the Nevada secretary of state and the Clark County registrar of voters to try to remove District Judge Nancy Saitta and Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss.

"Enough is enough in Nevada. Enough is enough," said Star-Alexander, who founded the nonprofit group Redress Inc. to assist those wronged by the legal system. "We need to obtain accountability from those in authority."

The recall attempt will be led by a political action committee called the Coalition for Legal Reform, she said.

To remove the judges from office, the group will have 90 days from the Monday filing to obtain signatures equal to 25 percent of the number of votes each judge received in their last election - 40,711 for Moss and 53,354 for Saitta.

Star-Alexander said Saitta had been identified as the judge whose rulings were overturned more than any other District Court judge between January 2003 and August 2005. She also was mentioned in a recent Los Angeles Times series on judicial conflicts of interest in Las Vegas. In 2002, the report noted, Saitta received $500 or more from 55 lawyers from law firms with cases pending before her.

Star-Alexander also says that during a hearing in January, Saitta made intemperate remarks by joking about violating a criminal's civil rights.

Saitta responded Friday that she has vehemently denied any wrongdoing implied by the Times revelations, and did not have sufficient information about the other allegations to comment.

"I'm proud of the work I've done on the bench, and am happy to have people conduct oversight of the courts," Saitta said.

The recall petitions will be available to sign at the auto repair shop owned by James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier, who has indirectly been involved in complaints filed against Saitta with the state Commission on Judicial Discipline.

Star-Alexander said she doesn't know Barrier or his associate Steve Miller, who has filed at least two complaints against Saitta. "I've never spoken with them," she said.

Saitta said she was dubious: "It certainly speaks volumes to me. I would suggest there's some connection there."

Star-Alexander's complaints against Moss, a Family Court judge since 2000, stem from her handling of a few cases, including one involving the death of 12-year-old Syber Wells.

The boy shot himself last August with a gun that his father, Geoffrey Wells, allegedly left available. Moss ruled that custody of Syber and his two younger siblings would alternate between the parents - despite warnings that Geoffrey Wells' home was dangerous because of loaded weapons there - and was later blamed by some for the boy's death.

Star-Alexander also noted that in court papers filed last year, a lawyer who appeared before Moss accused her of favoring some lawyers because of campaign contributions.

In a broader sense, she said that Moss' courtroom behavior has shown that her "emotional demeanor" is not suited for the bench.

Moss said Friday the Judicial Canons of Ethics prevent her from responding to the ongoing cases Star-Alexander raises. But she rejected the notion that she is not emotionally and professionally suited to be a judge.

"I've been a judge for six years," Moss said. "I've worked very hard, and I'm very attentive to my cases.

"I do my best to protect children and their families."

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